The Cutting Truth
by javapenny
Summary: After a traumatic experience Maka is left feeling alone, but she puts on a brave face for those around her. She starts to get desperate when she realizes she, unlike everyone else, can't move on and in her uncontrollable need to feel she starts to cut.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: After a traumatic experience Maka is left feeling alone, but she puts on a brave face for those around her all the while on the inside she is eroding. After a few months Maka starts to get desperate when she realizes she, unlike everyone else, can't move on and in her uncontrollable need to feel something other then bottomless sadness she starts to cut. Will anyone notice before she takes it to far? Will no one listen to her weeping heart?

* * *

Broken Tears

No one could steal the love in her heart,  
will never be taken will never be torn apart,  
through the days she would cry on end,  
and her friends love she would start to lend,  
as the winds withered her tears fell to the floor,  
they crashed like black waves against the shore,  
her walls would crack and come crashing down,  
it seemed like happy ending would never be found,  
the days would go on and to her friends she would lie,  
but then she would hang up the phone and sigh,  
for it was true that her love did die,  
it was broken for all the blood she would cry.

* * *

A/N: Poem RE: post same as it was before not a change and questions about this story or anything email me via . Review please, make me happy !

-Javapenny


	2. Bloody Dreams

One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Watch it drop  
Making your heart stop  
Just before you hit the floor  
One minute you're on top  
The next you're not  
Missed your shot  
Making your heart stop  
You think you won

Hit the Floor Linkin Park

* * *

Prologue  
-;-

Maka had just finished a mission with her partner and best friend Soul. They had to get the soul of a murderer he had taken the lives of ten humans' three of which were males the other seven females. The killer had been on the loose for over a year or so. A serial killer tends to take on a signature, this man was no different, and he would leave a four leaf clover in the victim's hair. He adapted the name "the lucky four killer".

The pair had found him located on the outskirts of Death City, it did not take very long to finish up and claim him soul. He was the kind to plan for weeks then sneak up on the target, not hand to hand combat. So it was more like he ran, they chased, he struggled, they won, nothing to demanding but a bit tiring none the less. Currently they were walking back to the two bedroom apartment they shared together.

The two were only a few blocks away from their cozy home and Maka was lost in her head with Soul walking silently beside her, hands in pockets, so the usual. Maka suddenly felt like she forgot something, and the something was very important but god what was that something! She never forgot to turn off the oven this morning, or put the cap back on the tooth paste, she even remembered to buy Kidd's' birthday present which was a perfectly symmetrical present of course, so what the hell was it!

In frustration she went to pull up her shoulder bag, a little habit she had picked up just the reassurance that something she knew how to deal with was so close to her, school, books and facts things that just were. The realization of what she forgot started to hit her like a ton of bricks in the face, one after the other. "I forgot my book bag, all my homework, and my textbooks, I was planning to unwind by studying!" she thought in a panic.

"Soul I have to go back to the school, I forgot my things." she said warily, her Maka Albarn forgetting her book, it's just unthinkable. Yet here she was, great shame washed over her it was such a sickening feeling.

"Okay I will come with you" he said stifling a yawn, "Damn why can't Maka just leave her stuff, it's not like there is anything important due tomorrow" then thinking again he realized that it's not like he would really know anyways or cared, he was to cool to care about anything school related.

"Nah, its okay I can go alone, I am not a weak little girl Soul" she complained, "and besides its late, you're tired and hungry, as am I. So I propose you go home and make some supper for us, and then I'll be back by the time it's done, kay?" he didn't like the idea of the blond walking without someone else at this hour of night. God only knows what kind of freaks were out and this was Death City, but what she had said was right, all of it was.

"True, but are you sure you don't want me to come along?" the blonde sighed at this, but Soul wanted to make sure. He felt a little uneasy. Honestly when it came to his partner he was always to over protective, despite this he always gave in to her demands.

"Yes, I am, now go, I'll be home in about a hour." Her voice was final, but the feeling would not leave.

"Fine, but be quick about it will you." Soul blankly said she knew he would give, he always does. She gave a small wave and as she walked away Maka thought she heard a small "not cool" uttered from the scythe.

The school was not too far from where she was maybe twenty minutes tops, and the tech decided to take her sweet time. The streets were dark only lit by the street lamps and the pale radiant glow of the moon. She eyes lingered on the millions of billons of stars that littered the black sky. She started to hum an old lullaby about how the stars watched over you at night, about how they were all the eyes of the ones who have passed on and your fate was chosen by the star that watched you. Maka learned at a very young age that it was used to try and scare children into not wandering around at night.

It was a cloudless night and the blonde felt at peace quietly singing her song to the moon that smiled back at her, that's why she could tell that something was wrong when her stomach started to feel unsettled.

Maka had learned to always follow her gut, and right now it was uneasy, though this time she didn't think much of it and just passed it off as her stomach reaction to the bad cafeteria food she had that day for lunch. Soggy Mac and Cheese, an apple and a juice box, despite how gross the Mac and Cheese looked it actually tasted pretty good, so maybe that's what was wrong with her stomach. Another thing she had learned was not to ever trust cafeteria food, if it looked good it tasted bad, if it looked bad it tasted good, but you were going to regret eating it later when it was coming back up.

As she walked down seemingly endless streets, darkness covering them on all sides, lost in her thoughts, Maka cut through an ally to shorten her trip to the school out of habit. The cold was starting to set in to her bones and the blonde was getting chills, so the sooner she got to the school the better.

Not exactly watching where she was going, Maka lamely tripped over something on the ground in the process scraping skin off her hands and knees, it stung. Sitting she went to inspect that cause of her tumble, nothing was there, weird she thought she felt her foot hook on something.

Maka, feeling something was not right with this looked around, and let out a small gasp. On the wall next to her there was a cartoon heart that was not there before and she would know this was her route to the school every time she knew the graffiti in this ally as well as she knew her books but what bothered her more than that was as she looked at it closer there was a dull satin star in the center.

She had seen this before, and knew it well; it was the signature of a man that had been deemed the name of Satin's Lover. He was a serial rapist, that would put his victims through a living hell, beating and torturing them until they were begging for death, then leave them alone and alive to live out their pain for the rest of their existence. Which isn't that long since he always comes back a few months later to finish off his victims. They say after you get raped by him insanity begins to consume your soul and there is no way to get away, you slowly close up from the world and then one day you lose it.

No one really knew the reason behind letting his victims free, though a popular theory is that maybe he just liked to know that he could break someone so completely through one single ugly event but right now she didn't care because the tech knew she was in deep shit and she had to get out now!

Maka scrambled to her feet only to fall back down again, she winced in pain, and she had hurt her ankle when she had tripped earlier. None the less the moment she was on her feet the blonde took off running, well limping, as fast as she could manage, Maka could hear the foot steeps behind her matching her pace with ease, so she was right there was someone after her.

The foot falls of her pursuer were right behind her and the next thing Maka knew she was on the ground, her ankle gave out.

"Shit!" she cursed, while trying to plant her feet on the ground yet again, "What the fuck am I going to do?" the sound of shuffling shoes brought her attention to whoever was behind her.

"You give up blondie, that's what you do." His voice bounced off the walls; ultimately causing chills to explode over her small frame. Maka stood up back facing him and without any hesitation took off down the ally, she was not some dumb bimbo in a movie, she knew her odds and they weren't good between how sleepy she was and her less then corporative ankle Make knew if she couldn't get away she will be royally fuck in more ways than one.

The blond didn't get very far before she felt a hand clamp down on her arm, fear was the only thing swirling in her head, pumping adrenalin through her veins dulling all her senses and other thoughts but RUN!

So she tried again, tarring her arm from the man, only to find herself on the damp ground once more. Maka didn't have much energy left in her and he laughed when she started to crawl away but will power could only get her so far before the hand that was just recently holding her arm had one of her pigtails in it.

He pulled her up to face him Maka got her first good look at him and was surprised that he looked quite young maybe in his late twenties early thirties, he owned a pair of empty onyx eyes half hidden by his own head of dusty blonde hair. A shiver ran down her spine for plastered on his face was a sharp tooth grin. She was exactly where he wanted her, helpless, alone, and scared.

The tech bit back a whimper as she was suspended from the ground by her hair. The man in front of her just laughed and leaned in, stopping only inches from her face.

"Run, run little one but as long as I stalk you won't get very far" he whispered to the blond's face, eyes twinkling in the anticipation of things yet to proceed. Maka started to squirm in his grasp but shortly after she realized that it wasn't going to help her one bit his grasp on her was to strong.

Spitting in his face didn't give her the reaction she was looking for either, the desired reaction was him letting go for a second, instead all she got thrown against a wall. Said wall did nothing to cushion her impact and she felt something break. No good, it hurt to breath, she was all ready at a disadvantage even before the fight started.

Maka lamely attempted to get away but it hurt too much to breathe, she must have broken a few ribs. Not too gracefully she started to move away for the enemy. He was close, the blond sucked in a deep breath and ignoring the pain swung as hard as she could nailing the man right across the face with her fist.

He staggered backward, but Maka didn't have time to run or even brace herself for not even seconds later her attacker had his hands in her hair.

"You WILL regret that you little bitch" he spat inches from her face, dirty hands tightening their grip he pulled her head close to his, licking her face. Maka felt sick, she felt like a thousand of Medusa's snakes were crawling all over her. She wanted to crawl into her Papa's lap and hear him tell her that everything was going to be fine while he held her. But he wasn't here and was Maka was alone so all she could do was cry.

The techs head was slammed full force into the wall behind her, Maka could feel her head split upon impact. Screaming she started falling towards that ground only to have those dirty hands back in her hair pulling her up and causing more pain for the blond.

"I will make this slow and painful since you were such a handful" his nails traced along her face as he whispered. "I promise I'll come back in a few months just to see you"

She could tell she was losing a lot of blood her thoughts were all over the place and her vision was fuzzy. Maka was vaguely aware that she was now on the ground. The techs mind was slipping away from her and she was too busy fighting to stay conscious she had not even realized that the man all ready had her clothes removed.

Maka was losing her fight to stay awake what was the point anyways why did she want to be aware of what was happening to her maybe it was just better to slip away. She gave up struggling with her mind to triad from the pain and her unanswered screams. Searing pain was all that her mind could understand the worse pain ever felt in her short life, her screams intensified and she could no longer hold back the tears. No one came for her, she was not given kindness, no soft kisses or gentle touches, there was no love. Just pain. It was all burred and when her mind came back to her she was alone and freezing.

The chill settled into her body holding tightly onto her bones. Maka curled up making a small ball, she was naked and crying. Darkness was all she could see now her eyes were clouded over blocking out light that she would not see again.

Time passed and warmth bloomed though her body like the sun was melting the ice that had built up in Maka. All of everything was darkness and warmth and she thought if this was death she would welcome it with outstretched arms. Though somewhere out of her abyss she felt a touch and something was stirring her from the darkness, with her own name.

"Maka!" the voice sounded panicked maybe she couldn't really tell, " Answer me right now or so help me I'll, I'll ... umm well ... it doesn't matter what I'll do just wake up!" yes it was definitely panicked though it soon quieted down to a whisper "Just wake up, Maka please" the voice pleaded with her. Her mind was still too cloudy none of it really made sense to her; right now she didn't even know who the one speaking to her was. The one thing she did know was that after was she had just been though she would not trust just anyone, but the blond trusted them.

"Who a-are yuu..." she spoke softly trying to push the words out with what little strength she had left.

"It's me, you know Soul." He was a little her that she didn't recognize his voice but it's not like he could get mad at her for it either. There she was lying on the cold ground, his tech was back on to him, and so he had a good view of the damage done.

The blood dyed blond hair red and trailing down her back which was littered with bruises and down to her legs that were cut up. She looked pathetic and vulnerable and that scared Soul more then he would ever admit. Out of him and Maka she was the strong one, the one that always pushed him to do things he never dreamed of and to see her like this, broken and bleeding, frightened him but even more it pissed him the fuck off. He was going to find this guy, the one who dare lay a hand on her and he was going to rip him apart one appendage at a time.

"Soul?" that fragile sound snapped him out if his trance "What are you doing here?" he let out a small bitter laugh.

"I was looking for you, you have been gone for more than a day" those long hours were the worst ones of his entire life. After supper went cold he waited on the couch for her to come home, filling his mind with reruns Threes Company, a TV show that Maka claimed was life consuming though he had never seen what she was getting on with. By the end of the third episode he had passed out only to have a crazy nightmare. When he awoke the next morning and noticed that she was still not home he lost it, calling every single one of their friends none of them knew where she was.

After that there was a code red light flashing in his head, sure him and Maka were connected but it only helped him read her better when they weren't making a Soul Resonance, so he had no idea what had happened to her or where she was.

He went early to school before the night security left and had asked them all if Maka had come last night asking to get her book bag, he got a "no" and one of them got her bag at his request. Now knowing that she didn't even show up at the school made him freak out like actually lose it, not that you could tell on the outside he kept his cool facade. But on the inside he was pissed, really, really pissed and worried. "If anything has happened to her so help the person who caused this, cause I will tear out there throat" his mind a rage.

After a day of searching, practically flipping Death City upside down and fighting off sleep tooth and nail he had found her naked and barely alive. Someone was going to get it and it sure was going to be a lot more painful physically then what had happened to his blond Soul would make sure of that.

The weapon slowly bent down to touch Maka now that she was awake, she shielded away for the hand with a small whimper. He realized that she was afraid of him; he felt a sting in his chest. He shrugged it off for now was not the time to feel hurt he needed to get Maka medical attention.

"Maka I need to get you out of here so I am going to have to lift you, is that okay?" he asked nicely, her and Soul like ever weapon and tech learned how to deal with people who had just been through dramatic and life threatening situations. Everything was to be a question to make it seem like they were the ones in control so not to panic them anymore. Though in this case if he has to he would pick her up anyways, though luckily for them both she agreed.

"Okay ... I-It's okay" to this he leaned down again and this time around holding out his hand for her, she grabbed it and was slowly helped up. Once he got her standing, Soul removed his jacket and while looking at her bruised face helped her put it on. He looked at Maka again, noticing that her hair was still in pig tails even if they were messed up, her lips had blue from cold and the blond's eyes were emptily staring at the ground.

Maka pulled the jacket closer to her body all the while keeping her eyes on the ground indifferently. She did not feel well, actually she felt really sick, really sick. The tech bent over and threw up whatever was left in her stomach in between her and Soul. In a flash he was next to her letting Maka lean on him for support as her weakening legs started to wobble.

"Maka I am going to carry you now you need to see a doctor, is that alright?" his voice was filled with worry; she lifted her head very slowly looked him in the eyes and nodded. As he gently picked his blond up bridal style and started to carry her to the hospital located at the school, it was after supper so not very many people would be there and Maka would get the best treatment possible.

Soul looked down at her, the broken girl in his arms, she was crying into his chest. He felt so many different emotions but the strongest one was guilt. If only he has went with her the nothing bad would have happened to her. She would be safe and happy, not like this.

"I'm so sorry Maka" all this was his fault and spending the rest of his life making up for it didn't seem good enough, he wanted to say so much more he wanted to tell her that he loved her and that he could make everything better but he couldn't. Nothing he could ever do would fix this.

* * *

A/N: so there it is the first chapter RE: posted on my new profile for any questions regarding this story or anything else can be sent to my email .  
so yeah same a before review and let my know what you thought and what i need to improve on :)

-Javapenny


	3. Rosen Stream

Little one, little one  
Your soul is purging  
Of love and razor blades  
Your blood is surging

Viva La Gloria (Little Girl) Green Day

* * *

-;-

She lets out a breath of relief, the first one since morning. Watching the blood pool down her arm made her smile a real smile, the first one since morning. Nothing made her happier than watching her blood flow; it reminded her that indeed she was alive. There were only a few minutes in each day before Soul wakes up and gets home that she can be truly happy, all the other seconds she living in the presence of others. Right now Soul went out to get Chinese food for supper he had a date tonight and where it was his turn to cook he got take out but for Maka all that meant was another night spent alone with her nightmares.

Engulfed in the stinging pain her mind went numb watching her unwanted emotions get washed away in the crimson tide. She had cut deeper this time wanting the bliss to last longer than a few seconds and it worked.

When the bleeding stopped she traced her fingers along the lingering scars some were fresher than others, some were days old and the one from this morning was already closed. Being a meister her wounds healed faster than those of humans that did not have their wavelengths matched with weapons. Despite that she got out band aids and smoothed one on over her newest razor cut, since she put more pressure on it, it would take longer to heal then the many others she had gathered over the past few months.

Looking down at her collection of marks she felt disgusted with herself. Since when have I become this weak to resort to cutting my arms to feel small minutes of happiness? Why was she left behind all her friends had dates and lovers, whiles she only had a razor blade to comfort her. Then again no one could ever love her she was too broken, she had been raped, and the only things she was good at were school and fighting. That's all she was a bookworm and a violent one at that.

"Won't anyone save me?" Maka said to herself as she opened the door and walked into something else, she was so surprised that she did not know what to make of what was in front of her. She just put her hand out and placed it on the moving stricter and felt a heart beating beneath her cold hand.

"Save you from what?" the voice replied to her request, she looked up confusion in her leafy green eyes. They were met with concerned ruby reds, his white hair as messy as ever. Seeing Soul face after what she had just done she felt like breaking down right there telling everything that wrong and confess to her frequent cutting. Instead all she did was lean her forehead to his chest only letting a single tear glide down her face and whispered.

"Myself" it was so quite that she was not even sure Soul had heard her, but he did because the next second he has his meister by the shoulders looking down at her.

"Maka? What's wrong? Did something happen to you again?" his frantic voice was caked with concern and worry. No I am worrying Soul with my stupid problems he suffered enough because of my weak heart, I will never put that worry on him again never again. I can't tell him yet about my cutting I'm to scared that he will think I am to weak and leave me, oh no what should I do?

"Maka, can you please..."

"MAKA CHOP!" she howled bring the book down hard on him skull, getting a grunt out of the target fallowed by a "what the fuck was that for?" but before she could react he was on his again. Soul grabbed the hand with wielded the hard cover pulling it above her head.

"Now tell me, what wrong?" he hissed out the words inches from Maka's face eyes plastered on her, not allowing her to move in his grasp. Worming around caused her sleeve to slide down a bit, she shot a panicked gaze up to her exposed arm and the cuts that were peeking out, Soul looked in the same direction. He going to see them shit what do I do WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO!

"What the hell?" he exhaled, but he never got the chance to see them, cause at that moment Maka got up on her toes and pressed down on his soft lips with hers. His eyes popped, Maka was kissing him? Since when did she like him? What's more weird was the fire he felt go down through his body, it felt amazing, it simulated all him senses and closed his eyes to let the feeling take over. But then it stop incomprehension led him to open his lids and he was looking down a Maka. She held up one finger the other hand grabbing the sleeve so that it did not slip again.

"That what I needed saving from, I am going on a date tonight with some guy and well I wanted to make sure that I could kiss him good, and where you have a girlfriend and all I thought that you could tell me, so how was it?" She mentally slapped herself for the lame ass excuse.

Turing before he could say anything else to her, walking away saying that she was going to study in her room. Watching her walk away from him she got a good look at her, she was beautiful, so he was not surprised that someone would ask her out but he never thought she would agree. She always seemed like the type to smack the guy up the head and tell him she has better ways to spend her time, the image put a small smirk on his face. But at the idea of her saying yes Soul felt something heavy suddenly wading down the pit of his stomach he shrugged it off he had more immediate problems, Maka was hiding something from him and what was the thing that he saw on her wrist. Soul passed it as nothing, then walked up to her door and knocked.

"Yes?" said her voice beyond the door.

"I am going out with my girlfriend around eight o'clock, when's your date?" Soul said he would never know the pain Maka felt at that moment. They are all moving on! Why can't I too?

"Umm, nine?" uncertainty escaping from her lips.

"And are you sure about that?" Souls muffle reply.

"Yup, it's at nine, so I better start getting ready, and so should you only ten minutes till your leaving right," Opening up her door she began to push him to his, "don't want her to be disappointed when she shows up and your still dressed like that!" emphasizing the last bit.

"What's wrong with what I am wearing, I am Soul Eater Evans whatever I wear is cool?" Maka trails her eyes over his clothing, her eyes resting on the fatal flaws of Souls outfit.

" Well Mr. Cool, you have a bit of leftover lunch on your pants and" she lifts up his arms "let's not forget the pit stains, plus you are going out with your girlfriend, a real girl so at least dress in something a little nicer. Am I going to have to pick out appropriate clothing for every date you go on?"

Hearing no response and seeing his bloody reds on the floor, she rolls her summer greens, grasped his wrist and started for his room. Which like always was so messy that it would have sent Kidd into a coma, used clothes littered all across his room, the ill attended to bed, his room was almost as wild and unkempt as his snowy hair. Sighing Maka fought her way to the other side of the room, pushing things out of her way, making a path.

Getting to the oak dresser she began her search, but being Maka that didn't take very long. She traveled back across the newly made path to Soul and showed him her winnings. A blood red dress shirt and a pair of black jeans, in picking this outfit it was neither not too formal nor just something you would ware when just hanging out at home. Not to mention that the shirt would make his eyes stand out even more than they already do.

"Now hurry and brush your teeth put this on and don't forget to brush your hair. Your date is in ten minutes" Maka puffed making her exit and leaving Soul to do then things she instructed.

Remembering that Soul had come back from getting supper she headed right to the kitchen, finding her food she grabbed it. Setting herself on the counter she began to eat her noodles and rice. It tasted really good; her favourite was chicken fried rice which she finished off in seconds.

By the time she was eaten her supper Soul was standing before her. Hopping of the counter and landing in front of him she gave him an eye sweep, she had to admit he looked good, really good. He had combed his hair which made it look really soft like snow, his red silk shirt had a few buttons undone and was only tucked in on one side, the black jeans fit him just right and went amazingly with the top part of the outfit.

"Perfect." Maka whispered to herself not able to stop the sadness she felt she looked at the floor and blocked her wave lengths the best she could.

"What?" Soul questioned incomprehension all over his face. That moment there was a knock at the door, and Maka was spared from some feeble answer she would of have to sputter out.

She ran to the front door of the apartment and opened it with unneeded enthusiasm; she was even bouncing a little. For once she was happy to see Rain, Souls perfect girlfriend with her long rivulets of black hair, moonlight pale skin and charcoal eyes. She had the most amazing figure one that girls and guys would kill for, correction more like a all blown war just to get it. Looking at the two in front of her, she changed her mind, she was not happy to see Rain.

She could not wait for Soul to leave for she loved being alone then there was no one she needed to keep up her act for and more importantly no one to see through it. It also scared her being all by herself because her thoughts would reseed to that night short months ago and oh bubby did that scare her ALOT. It almost makes her what him to stay, almost. Shaking that whim out of her head she began to swat he couple out the door with a quick "goodbye".

Dropping to the couch she turned on the TV waiting for something good to come on, there was only some reruns of Threes Company the most addicting show in the world. But lately nothing really seemed to interest her in the least.

There was nothing to do Black*Star was at the movies with Tsubaki, they have been going out for awhile now. Tsubaki told us that when Black*Star told her his feeling that he actually blushed, though he denies it to anyone because the great Black*Star does not get embarrassed. From what Maka had heard it seems that he can only be himself around Tsubaki, no one else.

Death the Kidd was on his date with the Thompson sisters, okay so really his girlfriend is Liz but they can't trust Patti to say by herself and not break anything so she usually tags along. Right now though they were at home making a fancy meal for the three of them, after wards they most likely going to go for a walk with Patti's new dog Barko.

while they are with people they love I am here alone. She looked over to the bathroom door, temptation instantly in her vanes. She was inching to cut again and it had only been a half hour since the last session.

Trying to take her mind off it she turned back to the TV, hoping it was a mind numbing as the scientists claimed it to be. Maka always thought that they were overreacting or something like that but now she was hoping for her brain to turn to mush so that she would not ever have to feel or care anymore.

A theme song invaded Maka's mind and after awhile of staring blankly at the moving pictures she started to drift from consciousness. Into a much scarier reality...

* * *

A/N: Chapter two of The Cutting Truth RE: posted and questions about this story or anything at all just email me . Review, review, review, tell me what you think. As ellen says be kind to one another :3

-Javapenny


	4. Crimson Paths

All that I feel is the realness I'm faking  
Taking my time but it's time that I'm wasting  
How many times can I break till I shatter?  
Over the line can't define what I'm after

Shattered OVA

* * *

-;-

Maka looked blankly at the ceiling; mangled thoughts had run ramped throughout her mind earning her another sleepless night. Not uncommon. No, the blonde had not been sleeping at all lately, making her fight through the days with drowsy eyes only to pass out on the couch when she arrived home. Always waking up a few hours later sweating from unclear nightmares, not like she didn't know what they were about, they were all the same thing. What happened that night three months ago.

It never left her. It tore her down. He was going to be back for her soon and Maka knew that when he was, she wasn't going to fight him this time. Maybe that's the real reason he let them live, to see that fire die. To see someone so bent on survival, give up. It only took a few short weeks to completely change, for a caterpillar to morph into a butterfly. Only this one was black and poison.

She shifted her gaze to her alarm clock as it BEEPED harshly with no consideration to her constant headache.

School.

How many ways can you hate one word, one reality, for Maka she found many ways to hate that singular word. For starters there were just too many people, all looking at her expecting her to lose it or break or just do something of interest so they could look at her with pitying looks. An excuse to whisper and point, shaking their heads in pity while doing nothing to help. To them it was nothing more than a show, like she was some animal fighting to keep her head above water. Well for what Maka cared they could all go to hell, she didn't need anyone feeling sorry for her. She did enough of that for everyone.

The first days back were the worst. Every single eye in the school was on the blonde. Judging how well they thought she was, wondering if or when she was going to breakdown. Hoping it would be somewhere they could see. Everyone watched but no one would come close to her. Not even Black Star and Tsubaki. It made her feel like she had a bio-hazard sign taped on her head and they all had to keep back a safe distance. It had been annoying and truthfully, it stung a little bit too, but worse than that Soul wouldn't talk to her. He wouldn't even look at her. He would just walk next to her, not with her. Despite that feeling she was a little pleased that he wasn't leaving her alone in her apparent quarantine.

The feeling that he was ignoring her quickly changed when Maka discovered the real reason no one dared to approach her. The blame fell on her silent companion. After a few days of observing the others who attended the school she noticed that if anyone got even remotely close to her, it only took one quick look at Soul's venomous glare for them to blend back into the crowd. This kept up for the next week or so and she was starting to feel more like Moses, then an animal, and that the rest of the kids were the Red Sea. No matter where she went they would split right down the middle to avoid having Soul's frightening look hone in on them.

A small smile flitted across her face. A light knock at the door broke Maka's thoughts and the tiny upturn of her mouth fell when she remembered that she was going to have to do today. Get up and pretend. Trust her when she said that she was a bad actor, the blonde knew that people weren't buying her tough act. At least not as much as they use too and if she was an actor than her biggest critic was right outside the door.

"Hey Maka, turn off your alarm." The blonde frowned at this. See, if it was before everything happened, he would have just kicked the door open walk on in and point out how it was very uncool of Maka to make him wake up to such a annoying sound. Now though he would always get up before her, make her breakfast and get everything ready for them so that she didn't have to do a thing. Breakfast use to be her thing, she was the one who had to look after him in the morning. That's the way it still should be but she knew he saw the small changes in her and he was just doing what he could to make things easier. It just felt like in these last three months Maka wasn't needed for anything and she couldn't help let that feeling fuel her perpetual sorrow right now. Her hand fell down hard on the off button.

Soul, who had made a habit of having staring contests with Maka's innocent white door every time he found himself in front of it, which was far too often lately. He heard the beeping stop so he turned toward the kitchen. Soul was not stupid, he knew there were quite a few people who thought otherwise but he wasn't He also knew that something was up with Maka. Lately she has been acting a little bit off. It's not like he blames her after what she had to go through not only during what happened but also the weeks after. That being said, over the past month he has seen constant changes in her, everything from her body language to the way she speaks or doesn't most of the time. Though he can see it more so when she thinks no one's looking; that sad look in her eyes, the uncharacteristic slouch. He could tell she always wanted to be somewhere else, with someone else, and doing something else.

The weapon just wished more than anything, that she could confided in him, or someone at least. Since she returned to school everyone from Tsubaki to Ox have been on Maka, asking her if she was sure she didn't want to talk about anything and that if she needed anything. They made it clear they meant anything at all and that they were at her beck and call or something like that. She refused it all though insisting that she was fine and they needn't worry. How could he not Soul knew what desperation looked like and he was very worried that his tech was going to do something drastic. Telling him not to worry was like asking the sun not to come up every night or trying to stop the tide, it was impossible.

This pissed Soul off so much more than it should of. Why was she so stubborn all the time they could all see she was hurting but she wouldn't let anyone close enough to help! She was his most important person, his mister, his best friends and the person who he always fought with, whether it was against an enemy or just each other. Soul was losing her to herself and there was no way he could fight for her until the blonde let him. He never felt more useless in his life.

As he heard the shower turn on he couldn't help but let his mind drift to the night he brought Maka home from the hospital. At that time she still needed help with most things, so when she had said she wanted to get a shower he had to help her get ready to get in. This task consisted of turning on the water to decent temperature, easing her out of her clothing, and gently placing her in the waters path. He had just pulled the shower drape across when he heard a small voice, Soul couldn't make out what it said exactly but it had sounded sort of like "stay". Whatever it was, though, he understood the meaning when he saw her small shaking hand sneak out under the drape. He had spent that night holding Maka's hand as her tears mingled with the water the shower head produced. That was the first and last time she opened up to him.

When Maka walked into the kitchen her food was already on the table waiting for her. She sat. Soul was directly across from her, neither of them daring to break the silence, so they ate. As of late words between them had become dangerous, for them it was like throwing rocks at glass and they most definitely resided in a glass house. One that was waiting to shatter all around them, disregarding its occupants and the blondes need to keep hidden in plain sight. Maka was aware that Soul knew that something was up with her attitude lately beyond the obvious, that much was certain but they still understand each other on a level even after everything that had happened. So he could see that she didn't want to talk about it either.

Their connection had begun to fall apart because of Maka, she would accept blame willingly. Since she had spent the better part of the past few months snapping the attachments to people who she could no longer bare to be close too, there was only one exception. There had been one bond that would not break no matter her efforts to sever it, Soul's. She was not some dumb girl living in a teen novel, she was not mislead into thinking it was love, no, this stubbornly strong bond was created on such a deeper level then that. It had to be after how much time they had spent building on it so they could create the perfect soul resonance. She had weakened it but there was just a tiny, insanely minuscule, part in her heart that didn't want to detach his bond from her.

Once they were done eating Soul picked up their plates and put them next to the sink to be cleaned at a later time. He headed into his room to get his book bag and when he came out, back into the kitchen, his tech was gone. Maka wasn't the only one who she was hurting, no. Soul turned off the lights drowning the room in darkness and as he turned to close the door he looked at the beams of sunlight peeking through the blinds. The door slammed shut.

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A/N: It's been awhile and I come back with such a small chapter. I'm sorry. I am also sorry to say that it's going to be awhile before the next update. But review to let me know what you think and what you would like to happen.


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